


Captive Under the Night Sky

by onyxcaramel



Category: Original Work
Genre: Burly Men, Captive, Coming of Age, Corruption, Forced Kissing, Gay, M/M, Magic, Muscular Men, Older Man/Younger Man, Semi-Consensual, Sexual Content, Stockholm Syndrome, Tall men, confused feelings, musk, prisoner, sexual awakening, shackles
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-12
Updated: 2019-06-12
Packaged: 2020-01-11 23:48:41
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,651
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18434645
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/onyxcaramel/pseuds/onyxcaramel
Summary: The village of Ashdale was a simple town. Some would call it unremarkable. 14-year-old Eli Arwood loved his boring life there. That all changed when the village was attacked and burned to the ground. Trying to run away, Eli was captured by Malakai Lunaredge, leader of the Lunaredgic Republic. Now his prisoner, Eli can't help but wonder if his brother, Isaac, survived the attack.Determined to reunite with his brother, what happens when Eli's will to leave is slowly replaced with a will to stay? And why was he captured in the first place?





	1. Parting Ways

The village of Ashdale was a small, quiet place. Located in the southwestern corner of Lhorne, the western most continent in the world of Aethuros, the farming village was the definition of simple, country living. The denizens of the village were happy to take life day by day. They harvested their crops, sold their produce and livestock to the Empire and enjoyed each other's company. There wasn't much of note about the quaint village.

During the day, the men tended to the fields and the women did their chores. The children would play their games in the town square or down by the river. Eli had always been partial towards a game of hide and seek in the hills behind the village. The young 14-year-old had a slim body and long legs that allowed him to run fast and climb the trees quite quickly, making him very hard to find. 

If a merchant had strolled through the village earlier in the day, the kids would gather by the southern gates and set off some fireworks. If they were really lucky, a travelling circus would put on a show for them or some journeying mages might do a few magic tricks. Eli had always been fascinated by magic. He always wondered if he could ever wield magic, but his father had told him that they didn't have the money to send him off to a magical institute. Any money they did have went to funding his older brother's studies at the Knights' Academy. 

At night, all the doors would be open as the Ashdaleans would mingle and enjoy each other's company. There was always a celebration and a feast, where the entire village would eat, drink and be merry. Laughter and joy could be heard throughout the night as the villagers danced and sang and enjoyed their easy lives. Nothing ever happened in Ashdale, and as such, the villagers lived a relaxed life. Some might go so far as to say that Ashdale was completely unremarkable.

And yet, on this breezy, starry night, Eli watched with his jade green eyes as the inferno from outside caught the wooden walls of his home. The fire started at the ground and quickly captured the rest of the building. Smoke began to fill the house as the young teenager covered his mouth with his tattered t-shirt. He pushed his straight, blonde bangs out of his eyes, wiping the soot off of his young, fair babyface, watching as his home went up in flames. He knew he should be trying to escape, but he couldn't. Not without his brother, who was stuck in front of the door of their house, plunging his sword into the men who were responsible for village-wide arson. 

“Isaac, let's go!” Eli shouted at his brother as he began to cough. 

Isaac turned to look at his younger brother, the tall male parrying an attack easily with the short sword gripped tightly in his right hand. His blonde hair was neatly combed to the left side, and even in the midst of combat, not a single hair moved out of place. He was more tanned than his younger brother, his skin taking on a more golden hue due to the amount of time he spent outside patrolling. His singed, white tunic revealed his muscular body and large biceps that he gained from years of his knight training. “Go on without me!” Isaac shouted back at his brother as he kicked one enemy out of the doorway, only for another to appear. 

The men that attacked seemed to be in infinite supply. Whenever one was dispatched, another filled his place. Each man was dressed in chain mail and metal grieves and cuisses. They had a short sword in one hand and a shield that bared the markings of three stars in a triangle that sat in the waning part of a deep blue, crescent moon. All of their equipment seemed well made, which gave the impression that they weren't just run-of-the-mill bandits. 

“But...”

“Don't worry. I'll catch up to you!” Isaac reassured him, looking back to smile at his younger brother. “I wasn't the top of my class for nothing.” He said as he ducked a sword swinging at him, only to sweep the pillager's legs out from underneath him with his own short sword. 

“You promise?” Eli asked.

“I promise.”

Eli was hesitant to follow his brother's orders, but he knew he had no choice. If he stayed any longer, the smoke was going to get into his lungs. He knew his brother was a great fighter and an excellent knight. He had to trust him. 

Steeling his nerves, Eli made his way through his house to the kitchen. He pushed open the back door, which fell to the floor as soon as it was touched. The doorway was starting to ignite, so Eli ran out as fast as he could, exiting into the fields behind his house. He kept running, not stopping until he was out of breath, trampling over his own crops in his haste to escape. Over the dirt and towards the hills behind the village, he could hear his heart beating in his ears and his own breathing seemed to drown out all other noise. 

He hopped the wooden fence and continued running through the tall, wild grass. His path illuminated by the very thing he was trying to escape, Eli did his best not to stop. He did, however, look back frequently, waiting to see if his brother would come rushing through the doorway he just ran through. As his house became more and more distant as he ran, Eli focused harder and harder on the doorway, hoping to see a tall, blurry figure running after him.

“Ah!” Eli gasped as he tripped over a stray branch. He got up and brushed himself off, only to feel a pain in his foot. He tried to keep running, but his ankle was throbbing. He had played enough playground games to know when he had sprained his ankle. The tears were finding their way to the surface, but Eli held them back again. He had to run. He had to get out of here. Isaac would meet him. He promised, and Isaac always kept his promises. 

Trying his best to ignore the pain in his ankle, Eli made it to the base of the hill that was situated just a few minutes outside of the village. It wasn't a large hill, but it was the one place Eli knew like the back of his hand. He knew every nook and cranny, every tree and rock, every bush and clearing. He would know the best places to hide to stay out of harm's way until this nightmare ended. He climbed the hill, grasping onto the branches of the ever-stretching pine trees as it became harder to walk. Eli limped as he walked uphill, his body ready to give out. He was covered in dirt and soot. His lungs stung with each cold breath he took. But, he never stopped until he reached the top.

At the peak of the grassy hill, his body collapsed. He looked up at the night sky. The moon was full tonight, and it looked rather peculiar. It didn't seem to shine, but rather, it glowed. Despite the horrors of the night that were still on him, Eli found himself getting calmer as he gazed up at the sky. His eyes fixated on the moon. The bright, glowing moon. As he stared at it, he could feel his heart slow and his adrenaline dissipate. He felt a calmness he didn't think he could feel in a moment like this. 

Finally, he sat up and made his way to his favourite hiding spot. There was a large evergreen near the edge of the peak whose branches intertwined with the other nearby trees. It always looked like it was holding hands with the others, trying to protect them and keep them safe. Eli wrapped his arms around the trunk and gripped the front with the soles of his feet. He winced as he put more pressure on his sprained ankle, but he didn't care. He started to climb, getting to the first branch that was about five feet feet off the ground. On any other night, he could reach the top, which was over a hundred feet, but tonight, this would suffice. 

The young blonde sat up against the tree as he looked out at Ashdale. Even from up in the hills, the fire was so bright. The flames had completely engulfed the village. He could hear the distant screams of his neighbours and the cries of the children who were lost and confused. Everyone he knew was in peril. He watched as some villagers managed to run out the north gates of the village, only for two men on horseback to catch up to him and behead him in one cleave of their swords. 

Eli had to be strong. He had to hold back his tears. Everything he knew was gone. Everyone he knew was dead. He had no idea if his father was alive. When the fires started, his father was at the local tavern getting some drinks. A tear finally trickled down his face as he realized he might never see his father again. It was strange that he thought his father was presumably dead, and yet, he was still confident that his brother was alive. There was no one tougher and stronger than Isaac. Everyone on the village depended on him. He was going to bring prestige to their little village. He would never let anyone down. He would pull through. Any moment now, Isaac would emerge from the trail. He would find him with ease. He was the only one who ever found him. 

Minutes turned to hours as he waited. A gust of wind sent shivers through the blonde's young, poorly clothed body. Being so far away from the fire, his body was now registering how cold it was. He pulled his knees up to his chest, one hand rubbing his ankle. He could already feel it begin to swell. His stomach was starting to growl. His lips felt dry and his tongue parched. But he would wait here forever until his brother showed up. He had promised. 

CRUNCH!

Eli turned his head as he heard footsteps coming towards him, crushing the leaves and branches underneath them. He peered down the hill, trying to see where the noise was coming from. “Isaac?” He called out softly, hoping to hear his brother's loving, kind voice reply. 

There was no reply. 

Instead, Eli watched as a man emerged from the trees. He was a titan of a man. Easily the tallest man Eli had ever seen. His shoulders were broad and his chest bare. Even from where he was, the young teen could see the definition of his chiselled frame. Before looking up at the man's face, he would look down at his feet. He saw the blood on the metal grieves that glistened under the moonlight. His heart began to race again. 

Turning around, Eli wrapped his arms around the tree and started to climb again. He got a few inches up, gritting his teeth in pain as he reached up for the next branch. As he grabbed it, he screamed in pain. “Let go!” He cried out as he felt a large, calloused hand grip his sprained ankle. Oddly enough, the man followed his order, letting go of his sprained ankle, only to grab the other one. Eli tried his best to kick his foot and get rid of his attacker's hold on him, but it was pointless. The titan of a man was far too strong. He felt the man yank at his leg, and with just one pull, Eli fell from the tree. 

The young male landed on his feet, whimpering in pain as his sprained ankle jammed against the hard earth. The man's hand was still on his foot, but he didn't care. He tried to run, but was soon pulled by his arm into the large man's body. His hands reached out in front of him, trying to grab at anything to get him free, but the large man easily kept him in place with a single arm wrapped around his waist. He struggled in his grasp, the tears flowing from his eyes as the dread began to set in. 

“Don't worry. You'll be fine.” He heard his attacker whisper in a deep, gentle whisper. He felt a cloth cover his nose and mouth. As he struggled to breath, he could smell a strong perfume on the cloth. Suddenly, he found his eyes slowly beginning to close. His limbs stopped wailing about as the energy left his body. 

“I...saac...” He called out softly as his eyes shut by themselves and his body went completely limp in the man's grasp.


	2. Captivity

It was so cold. 

That's all Eli could think as he finally opened his eyes again. His vision was blurry. His mind was a blur. His body was sore. His wrists felt tight. His legs felt numb. His stomach was empty. His lips were dry. What was going on? Where was he? He could feel cold, damp stone underneath his feet, but he couldn't make anything out thanks to his groggy vision and the darkness of the room. He could see that he still had his tattered, white shirt and weathered, brown shorts on thanks to the only source of light that shone through a barred door to his right.

He pushed his bangs out of his face to get a better look of what was beyond the steel bars, only to hear the sound of metal scraping against stone as he did. Looking down at his hand, he could see a large, iron shackle on his wrist. His eyes followed the chain back to a small ring attached to the cold, sturdy stone wall behind him. He was a prisoner, and he was in a cell.

The panic began to set in.

Eli began relentlessly yanking his arm, trying to pull the chain off of the wall. He tried using his other hand to pull on it, only to realize both hands had been shackled. He tried getting up and running, hoping that would break him free, but he only got a few inches before being pulled back by the shackles on his legs. The pain in his ankle was ultimately surpassed by the intense tightness he felt from all of his shackled joints. 

It didn't stop him. He pulled and yanked and ran and kicked, doing everything in his power to break free of his restraints, but it didn't work. He felt so weak. There was a deep, empty pit in his stomach. He had no idea how long he had been asleep for, and thus, had no idea how long it had been since he had any food. His body was drawing on the last of its reserves. The more he struggled, the more energy he used up. Within seconds, the young teen was on the floor, his legs unable to hold himself up. 

“Isaac...” He called out weakly, his voice hoarse from his dry throat. His eyes closed as he laid splayed out on the cold, wet stone floor. 

The smell of warm, hearty broth crept into his nostrils, prodding him to awaken. When his eyes opened again, he could see a flame flickering on the west wall of the cell, illuminating a boot in front of him. He reached out to touch it, only able to feel the tip because of his shackles. It was smooth and tanned. He weakly pushed his finger into the front and felt something large underneath. As he lifted his head, he realized that the boots were attached to someone, who was sitting down in front of him in a small, wooden chair. 

It was the titan. Eli immediately drew back from the man, putting only a few inches between him and his attacker as he pressed his back up against the stone wall. He couldn't help but look up at fear at the large man. Being this close to him, he could make out all of his features. He certainly was nothing short of a titan, the man being at least seven feet tall, if not taller. He was bare chested again, his skin a dark, olive hue. Eli could see every ripple of his muscular, barrel-like torso, and massive arms, all of which were covered in light tufts of blue body hair and scars, with a large one stretching diagonally from his left pec down across to where the man's right kidney would be. His legs were built like tree trunks, each of them thick, burly and stuffed into a pair of tanned leather pants. He was beginning to wonder how a small chair could support such a man.

Eli finally worked up the nerve to look up at the man's face. The titan had a rugged face with long, deep blue hair. He had a bangs that framed his face and a long, braided strand resting against the left side of his face as his hair cascaded down his back, some of which was braided, and some was not. If Eli didn't know better, he could have sworn his hair was changing colours from a deep blue to a dark purple. He had a scar across his nose and a trimmed, blue moustache and beard, underneath of which Eli could tell was a strong jawline.

Out of all of the man's large proportions and uniquely coloured hair, it was his eyes that stood out the most. They were a pale yellow. He clasped his head as images of the moon from the night he was kidnapped filled his mind. It flashed from the moon, back to the man's eyes, back to the moon, back to the man's eyes. He opened his eyes and took another look at the titan's eyes. They were identical to the calming moon, and yet, Eli felt more distressed than ever before. 

Eli's nose twitched as he smelled that delicious broth. On the titan's lap was a wooden tray, on which was a small wooden bowl with steam coming off of it. There was a piece of bread next to the bowl, along with some slices of cheese. Eli's stomach audibly rumbled, echoing through the empty cell as he looked up at the man. For such a large man, his features seemed to exude an intimidating aura. His eyebrows were furrowed, his eyes narrowed and his lips resting in a natural scowl. 

The young teen waited for the man to say or do something, but all the man did was stare at him. He felt like the man was waiting for him to act. Following his instincts, Eli spoke up. “Where am I?” He asked, his voice still rough from days of no water or talking. 

“You're in Castle Crestfallen.” The man replied, his voice deep and stoic. It was the voice of a warrior for sure. 

“Where's that?” Eli asked. The man didn't reply. Instead, he asked a question.

“What's your name?” The man asked the teen.

“Eli. Eli Arwood.” Upon answering the question, the man broke off a piece of the bread. He dipped it in the broth and slowly extended his hand towards Eli. The smell of the meaty broth made the teen salivate as the tiny morsel of food hovered just inches away from his lips. He wanted to be more defiant, but as his stomach grumbled yet again, he knew there was no hiding how hungry he was from the man. 

He tried to reach out and grab the bread with one of his hands, but the man seemed to deliberately hold it just out of his reach. With no other option, the teen leaned in and took the bread into his mouth, involuntarily letting out a moan as he finally received the slightest bit of nutrients. Before he could swallow the bread, the man had another broth-soaked piece waiting for him. He swallowed the piece in his mouth, and before he ate the next piece, he spoke. “What's your name?”

Eli waited for a response, but none came. So, he resumed eating. Piece after piece, the blonde ate out of the man's hands, putting aside his contempt for him for now. He was just so happy to get some food, he temporarily forgot about being chained up. Once the bread was done, the man held the bowl at Eli's lips, who parted them and allowed him to slowly slurp at the broth, which was filled with bits of carrot, meat and onions. Eli wasn't a fan of onions, but right now, it was the tastiest thing he had ever eaten in his life. 

With all the food now finished, the man patted the teen's lips with a cloth to clean it. Eli didn't like that the man was treating him like a child, but he was somewhat appreciative that the man was at least feeding him. “Two more meals will be given to you throughout the day. A man will also come down to clean you and give you a bathe.” The blue-haired man told the shackled teen. 

“Why am I being kept here?” Eli asked, hoping he would get an answer. There was none. “I'm just a kid. I can't do anyone any harm. Why keep me locked up?” He asked again, trying to figure out the reasoning behind his captivity. This seemed to grab the titan's attention, as he got up from the wooden chair and crouched down in front of Eli. 

Even crouched down, the older male was taller than the teen. Being so close to him, Eli could see just how large the man was. Every single one of his muscles seemed to rise and fall with every breath. He felt another scent enter his nose. One that was heavy and pungent. It smelled of sweat, mountains and leather. It was overwhelming, causing Eli to turn away from the man. That's when he felt that large hand on his cheek, forcing him to look at the man eye-to-eye.

Then, it happened.

Eli's eyes widened as their lips met. What only took half a second seemed like an eternity as the man kissed him. He tried to push the man away from him, but the titan was far too sturdy and he was in far too weak of a state. 

“Be good, and you'll be free.” The titan whispered to him. As Eli looked into the man's eyes, he felt an uneasiness. The words that were meant to comfort him only brought him more dread. The teen didn't say a word as the titan stood up, giving Eli a good idea of just how tall the man was as he towered over him. He watched as the burly man opened the cell door and left, leaving the torch in Eli's cell lit. 

The blonde teen crawled as close to the cell door as he could to try and see what else was out there. It seemed his cell was at the end of a hallway which was lined with cells. However, from the sounds of it, it seemed he was the only one currently inhabiting a cell. The hallway was lit by torches, one between every cell on each side. At the opposite of the hallway from Eli was an ordinary wooden door with two men, one standing on either side. They looked exactly like the men who attacked his village. 

With no other option, Eli sat against the cold, stone wall and pulled his legs up to his chest. He heard himself sniffling before he even realized he was crying. Why was this happening to him? What had he done to deserve a fate like this? He thought back to hiding in the tree, wishing he could have just climbed a bit higher so the man never noticed him. Isaac was probably searching the entire hill, looking for him, wondering where he was. 

He missed his brother so much. 

If only Isaac was here, he would know what to do. He would know how to escape. All Eli could think to do was cry, and that's exactly what he did until he fell asleep once more. 

Eli woke up when he heard the clanging of the cell door sliding open. Peering over at the entrance to his prison, he watched as a man dressed in full armour stepped inside. He wore no helmet, revealing a bald head and a younger face than the blue-haired man. He seemed to be about Isaac's age. In his hands, he held a tray of bread, meat and cheeses. The bald man tossed the tray down in front of Eli, who just stared up at the new face. “Why am I here?” He asked the man, trying to get an answer.

“Shut up and eat your food.” The bald man barked back before exiting his cell, leaving him alone again. 

He did as he was told, eating every last bit of his meal. He was so hungry. He had never eaten so quickly before. The bread was stale. The meat was dry. The cheese was hard. It was the tastiest meal of his life. When he was done his meal, he pushed the tray away and laid down on his side, having nothing else to do but fall back asleep. 

The young teen was woken up two more times throughout the day. The first time was to receive another tray of food from a different bald man, who he assumed was a soldier. The second was to receive a bath from a woman in church garb, black robes with a white lining. He noticed the robes had the same symbol he saw on the shields of the men who attacked his village: three stars in a triangle that sat in the waning part of a deep blue, crescent moon. The woman looked kind, so he tried to talk to her, but any time he opened his mouth, she glared at him. She washed his limbs thoroughly, getting the dirt and soot that was still on it. Instead of taking his clothes off, she would simply lift up the bottom of his shirt or his waistband to clean him. It left his clothes wet and clinging to his skin, but it was better than nothing. The woman also left two chamberpots for him. Now that he was eating again, it was only a matter of time before he would have to make waste. 

After the bath, Eli went back to sleep, shivering a bit as the water only amplified the coldness of the stone beneath him. 

The next time he woke up, the blue-haired man was in front of him again, dressed identically to the last time he saw him. In his lap was the same tray, same bowl and another piece of bread. It was the same meal. “Why are you doing this?” He asked the titan. “Why are you keeping me locked up?”

“I cannot answer that right now.” The titan informed him. “You may ask another question.” Eli raised his eyebrow at the response. “Who are you?” 

“My name is Malakai Lunaredge. I am the Lord of Castle Crestfallen and the leader of the Lunaredgic Republic.” The titan replied. 

“Why can't you answer my last question, Malakai?” Eli asked, but instead of an answer, he got a question. 

“How old are you, Eli?” 

“14.” Answering his question earned the teen a piece of broth-soaked bread. 

“Where is Castle Crestfallen?” Eli asked. No answer. Eli waited a few more seconds and still no response, so he leaned forward and took the bread into his mouth. 

Much like the day before (at least, Eli felt like it had been a day since he had no concept of time inside his cell), Malakai fed Eli. He soaked each piece of bread in the meaty broth and fed the teen, following that up by letting the teen slurp up the warm broth. This time, Malakai also brought a water skin with him. He uncorked the top and placed it against Eli's lips. The teen held the water skin like a bottle, greedily trying to tilt it higher to get more water, but Malakai would push down, keeping it at a low angle so Eli didn't get any more water than Malakai wanted to give him. 

Once he had finished drinking the water, Malakai placed the water skin back into his pocket. He got up from his seat and crouched down in front of Eli once again. The teen knew what was coming, so he tried to turn his head away. It did nothing. Malakai cupped the boy's cheek and turned it so they were staring into each other's eyes again. Eli closed his eyes as tightly as he could as he felt those big, strong lips against his own. The kiss was no longer than a peck, but that was already too long for Eli.  
“Be good, and you'll be free.” Malakai whispered to him again. Eli turned his head away as soon as Malakai let go of his cheek, not caring to watch the man exit. 

The rest of the day seemed to repeat itself. Two more soldiers brought him meals to eat. The same woman came to wash his body and change out his chamber pots. Throughout the day, he fiddled with his shackles, trying to see if there was a way he could break them. He tried smashing the edge of his shackle against a corner of stone on the wall, but all it did was hurt his hand. He called out to the other cells, wondering if there was anyone else in captivity like he was, but no one answered back. All he could do was sleep and wait. 

He was forced awake by his hungry stomach when he smelled that familiar broth. As he sat up against the wall, he saw Malakai sitting in the wooden chair again. In his lap, he had the same tray with the same food. “Am I only allowed to ask you one question a day?” He asked the titan.

“Yes.” Malakai replied. “Unless I can not answer you, then you may ask another.” Eli didn't care that he had wasted his only question on confirming how his time went Malakai went. As far as he could tell, he was going to be held up in this cell for a long time. He had plenty of time to ask Malakai all the questions he wanted. He knew it was Malakai's turn to ask a question, so he waited for it. “What kind of books do you like to read?” Malakai asked.

The question took Eli by surprise. Compared to his previous questions about his name and his age, this one seemed oddly personal. “I guess books about heroes and knights.” Eli said. As the last word left his mouth, the first morsel of food was ready for him, hovering in front of his lips. Eli followed the routine as per usual, eating everything the titan had to offer him and drank every bit of water the man would give him. 

His least favourite part came next, when Malakai crouched in front of him. That strong, masculine scent filled his nose as Eli turned his head yet again, only for it to be turned back by that strong hand. His eyes shut again as Malakai leaned in and kissed him. “Be good, and you'll be free.” The titan whispered as he pulled away, like always. Eli brought his arm up and wiped his lips, not wanting any part of the titan on his body. 

The rest of the day went on as usual. He fell asleep, woke up to eat a meal, fell asleep again, woke up for another meal again, fiddled with his shackles some more, sat alone with his thoughts, used the washroom, fiddled with his shackles again, fell asleep once more and awoke to get his bath. However, this time, as the woman was switching out his chamber pots, she dropped something in front of him. “Lord Lunaredge wanted you to have this.” She told him promptly before leaving his cell. 

In front of him was a thick, maroon book with at least three-hundred pages. In gold lettering along the spine and on the front cover it read: “Might and Courage: An Anthology of Aethurous' Greatest Heroes”. Eli didn't understand it. Why would Malakai give him this book? Why was the titan being so nice to him? He didn't need to feed him three times a day or bathe him, yet every day, the teen was afforded those opportunities. It almost seemed like Malakai was trying to win Eli over. Eli tried not to linger on the thought for too long, not wanting any bit of his resentment for his captor to disappear. He grabbed the book and chucked it across his cell. Life would be easier if he had something to past the time like a book, but he would rather die than feel any bit of like for the blue-haired man. He wasn't going to let Malakai get the best of him. He wasn't going to give the man what he wanted, and if that got him into trouble, so be it. Nothing could be worse than his fate right now.


	3. Learned Lessons and Momentary Goodbyes

When the next morning came, Eli awoke, his stomach rumbling. He had been conditioned over the last few days to awaken whenever he was visited by someone. In the morning, he woke up when Malakai brought him his breakfast. He woke up midday to receive his lunch, then once more at night when he was bathed and ate dinner. 

The blonde turned his head and peered out at the dim torchlight that shone through the bars of his cell. He could see the guard standing at his post at the end of the hallway, but no one else. Usually Malakai was already here, waiting on him to awake, but there was no sign of him. The young boy crawled a couple of inches, as far as his shackles would allow him, to see if the titan had left his food. There was nothing. 

“Stupid kid.” The guard scoffed from his post. “Lord Lunaredge was already here. He entered your cell, but left after a few seconds. You pissed him off.” He explained. Eli's heart began to race. He looked over at the dark corner where he had thrown the book, but there was nothing. No sign of the book that had been left for him last night. 

The teen crawled back against the wall, sitting there in his shabby shirt and ragged shorts. His stomach rumbled louder, echoing through his cell. Last night, throwing the book away seemed like the right decision. He didn't want to give Malakai any more power over him than he already had. He needed to resist him. He needed to be strong. He needed to be like his brother right now and fight against the tyrant in any way he could. He could survive without food. There were times when the harvest was low and he didn't eat a lot. This was no different than that, right?

Eli fell back asleep when he realized there was no food coming for him. Staying awake would only drain his energy, which he had no way of regaining now that he had no sustenance. He woke up a few times throughout the day, as his body was conditioned to, but there was no one, and since there was no one there, there was no food. 

He finally encountered someone other than the guard at night. The woman who usually brought him dinner was there. The cell door opened and she stepped inside, wearing the black and white habits of a church follower. There was no tray of food in her hands, only a bucket of water and a cloth. “Take your clothes off.” She told him. The blonde went to slip his shirt off, but as he lifted it above his head, the woman would yank it off of him, causing some tears in the sleeves of the shirt. She pulled off his shorts, leaving him naked. 

The wet cloth hit his body. It was cold. Colder than the stones he rested on. He shivered and his body naturally closed itself up, but the woman would force it open so he could scrub him down properly. She was really rough with him, but he had no energy to tell her to stop. His stomach rumbled again, much louder than before. The woman scoffed as well. “Foolish child.” When the bath was done, she didn't even bother to wipe him down. She simply left his cell, the cold water still on his skin. It felt like he was freezing. He wiped his body down with his shirt and slipped his shorts back on as he fell back asleep.

The next few days were the same. No food. No Malakai. Just a cold bath. Eli did his best to hold on, but it was an impossible task. He was hungry. He was cold. He was miserable. All he could think of was his impending death. He could feel it coming. If not by starvation, then surely by hypothermia at this rate. Part of him thought dying would be the best option, but then he thought about his brother. He would do anything to see Isaac again. Isaac promised that he would meet up with him, and he couldn't meet up with Eli if he was dead. 

So, on the fifth day of no food, Eli caved. During his bath, which consisted of him laying on the floor in the fetal position as the mean woman washed him, he gave up. “I'm...sorry...” The kid said, barely able to speak due to his lack of energy and food. “Please...tell h-him...I'm...sor...sorry.” He struggled to say before his eyes closed by themselves. Just talking drained him of all the energy he had left. 

The next time he awoke, he saw the familiar titan, wearing that white, cotton shirt and tanned, leather pants, sitting in that chair right in front of him. Eli couldn't even bring himself to sit up. He remained face down on the floor, using any bit of energy he had to tilt his head up at the massive man. His nose twitched as he smelled that hearty aroma of the broth he had taken for granted. In the man's lap, he saw the tray of food he had missed so much. 

“I do not want to see you like this.” Malakai said in his low, booming voice. “But you left me no choice. I do not condone insolence or bratty behaviour.” The titan said. “Are you sorry?” Malakai asked.

“Y...Yes...” Eli said, feeling defeated. 

“Will you squander my kindness again?”

“N...N...No.” The teen replied, his jaw chattering from the cold. Malakai broke off a piece of the bread, dipped it into the broth and placed it at the kid's lips. Eli weakly grabbed Malakai's large hand with both of his own as he ate out of the titan's palm like an animal. He felt degraded that he had stooped so low, but he didn't care. He needed food. If it meant compromising his integrity at this point, he didn't care. 

“Apologizing doesn't make you any weaker.” Malakai told him. Eli registered the words, but mostly ignored him for now. He was far too focused on the food he was receiving to care about whatever the blue-haired tyrant was spouting. “You've recognized your limits. That's important for anyone looking to improve themselves.” 

Malakai didn't speak for the rest of their time together. He just fed Eli until half of the loaf was gone. Eli wanted more food, but Malakai wouldn't give it to him. “Your body can't handle it yet.” He simply told him, wanting Eli to know that withholding the rest of the food wasn't a punishment. “Eating more will only cause you more harm.” He explained. Eli gazed into Malakai's eyes, unsure if he should trust what he was saying. The tyrant hadn't lied to him yet, why would he start now with something as trivial as why he wouldn't feed him more?

The older male crouched down and cupped the blonde's chin in his hand. He tilted it upwards as he leaned in to kiss him. Eli didn't kiss back. He didn't miss this part of Malakai's visits at all. When their lips parted, Eli looked up at his captor. He was so confused by everything the tyrant did, but he didn't have time to reflect on it for too long. With his stomach finally full again, he could feel slumber quickly approaching. 

“Be good and you'll be free.” Malakai told him, like always, before departing his cell. Eli sat up for the first time in days and rested his head against the wall as he drifted off to sleep.

His routine had seemingly returned to normal now that he had apologized. He received lunch from a guard and the mean woman who gave him dinner and his bathe used warm water again. Before she left his cell, she dropped a book into his lap without saying a word. It was the same book he had thrown against the wall just days ago. “Might and Courage: The Anthology of Aethorous' Greatest Heroes.” Eli read out loud to himself. Instead of going back to sleep, Eli decided to give the first few pages a glance.

The first chapter of the book was about a man called Edric the First. He died millennia ago and was the first human to use magic. As Eli read more about Edric, he learned that he started off as just a swordsman who defended his village from pillagers. It sounded like he was a knight in a time before kings and queens. According to legends, the continent he lived in broke out into a massive war and he prayed to the gods to end it. The gods gifted him with the power of magic to put a stop to the war, which he did. After the war ended, he spent his time travelling the continent to pass on his knowledge of magic so that others could use it too instead of hoarding the knowledge to himself. 

In his travels, there were tales of defeating dragons and sea monsters the size of mountains. There were accounts that he took on armies of thousands just by himself and healed an entire city's worth of people. He seemed like a very noble man and reminded Eli of his older brother. All of these feats sounded like things Isaac could do, minus the magic. 

The moment he thought of Isaac, he stopped reading. He couldn't concentrate on the book anymore. All he could think about was reuniting with his older brother. His mind flooded with memories of home and all the games he used to play with him. He missed him so much. His eyes closed by themselves as he dreamt about the person he missed the most. 

The next morning, Eli awoke to the same sight as the day before. Malakai sat in his chair, dressed in his cotton shirt and leather pants, with the tray in his lap. Now that he had food in me, he finally had some of his wits back. He knew it was his time to ask a question. “Why did you give me the book?” Eli asked. 

“Because you are in an unfortunate position.” Malakai replied. “I do not wish to keep you locked up, but I must. The least I can do is provide you with entertainment and knowledge for withstanding your current conditions.” He explained. Eli didn't get it. It sounded like Malakai was being remorseful, but he was the one who captured him. He could easily set him free, but he didn't. So why was he trying to treat him nicely?

“Do you regret apologizing to me yesterday?” Malakai asked. Eli wasn't sure how to answer that question. 

“I don't know.” Eli replied. “I'm thankful you're feeding me again, but...” The blonde looked away, unable to look at Malakai in his eyes, “...you're the bad guy. You captured me. You set my village on fire. You're responsible for killing all those people. I just...I don't know what to think.” Eli confessed. 

“The world is a very complicated place.” Malakai told him. “You see yourself as a captive, but in my eyes, I am freeing you.” He explained. That really confused Eli. “If you wish to prosper in the future, Eli, I suggest you forget about what you knew. Do not overthink things. Consider your captivity a chance at rebirth.” He had definitely lost Eli at this point. The teen had no idea what malarky the tyrant was going on about now. He pretended to contemplate his answer before eating the food from Malakai.

Their meeting ended in the same fashion it always did. Malakai kissed the boy good bye and said the same farewell greeting he always did. “Be good and you'll be free.” 

A month would pass since that talk with Malakai and with everything Eli did in that cold, damp cell, he kept those words in the back of his mind. Forget what he knew. Don't overthink things. This is his chance at rebirth. They served as a lens for him as he studied the Anthology of Heroes book he received from Malakai. He read the book from cover to cover in a week, finding the tales and legends of the realm's heroes very fascinating. There was Aurion the Hunter, who killed more mythological beasts than anyone before and after him. Loris the Builder popularized the stonework and masonry that most towns used to this day. Flora the Magical figured out how to fuse magic into weapons and everyday items. They were all pioneers in their fields. 

After he finished that book, Malakai gave him another one. The second book he got was titled “Victories and Defeats: The Wars of Aethorous”. This one was a bit of a harder read because of all the atrocities that were listed inside, but Eli finished it in a few days. Each time he finished a book, Malakai gave him more, and unbeknownst to him, the subject matter got more and more complicated. He ended up reading about battle tactics, the basics of smithing, an introduction to botany, a collection of great speeches, the basics of espionage and even the foundation of mercantilism. Of course, Eli had no idea these were the topics he was covering. The subject matter was hidden in tales of heroism and the feats of legends. 

As the days went by, Eli would also get to ask Malakai more questions. At the beginning, he asked about his captivity. When would he be free? Could he get another meal? Could he replace the woman who bathed him? Malakai insisted Eli that he'd be free when he was good, and even granted him different food for dinner and a different servant to wash him. For every question Eli asked, Malakai asked him a question of his own. They were light questions, but personal. What was Eli's favourite colour? What was his favourite game? When was Eli's birthday?

Eli never game him a false answer. He didn't want to overthink the situation. He just shot straight with every question he was given. As Malakai learned more about him, Eli's questions would stray away from the subject of his captivity to the man sitting in front of him. When did Malakai become a Lord? Was his hair naturally blue? What village did he grow up in? Did he have a family? Even though Malakai remained tight lipped on the reasons for Eli's captivity, he was surprisingly honest about himself. He explained that he had freed his village from a corrupt king a decade ago, and that his hair was really blue. 

It was the next two questions that really got to Eli. Malakai confessed that he didn't know where he came from. He was an amnesiac. No matter how much he tried to remember his past, he never could, even with the help of magic. The earliest memory he had was waking up in the Rosan Desert north of the castle. If he had a family, he had no idea who they were and if they were still alive. Eli couldn't help but feel for the tyrant. The blonde had no clue how he'd survive if he couldn't remember his older brother. Thinking of Isaac got him through his tough times in this dungeon. Malakai wasn't able to do that. He couldn't draw any strength from his loved ones. It all had to come from himself, which Eli kind of admired. It was a lot like the heroes he read about, some of which went against the rest of society because they knew they were right. 

Eventually, the questions became much more topical. He would ask Malakai about whatever he was reading. What kind of battle tactics did Malakai use in war? How many times did they fold the steel of Malakai's greatsword? Did they harvest any aloe? How much did Malakai tax his people? Malakai seemed very impressed by these questions in particular. 

Over the month, Eli could feel a bond forming with his captor. This was the man who imprisoned him, yet, he was allowing him to learn so much about the world and himself. He noticed the change in his perception of Malakai when the man left. Like always, he gave him a good bye kiss. It had always felt forced and almost clinical whenever Malakai kissed him. But, as they got to know more about each other, Eli swore the kisses were lasting longer. He had no idea when he had started leaning in to kiss Malakai before the tyrant crouched down in front of him. He knew that only recently their lips were meeting more than once per kiss. 

Unbeknownst to Eli, Malakai had planned this from the beginning. He had been slowly increasing how long they kissed by very small increments, so Eli wouldn't be aware of the change since it was gradual. It was paying off. The kid was opening up to him more and felt more comfortable around him. 

As their most recent meeting came to an end, Malakai crouched down to cup Eli's cheek, who had basically placed it in Malakai's hand himself. They kissed for just over half a minute, their lips pressing against each other several times. When the kiss ended, Malakai remained close. For the first time, Eli spotted something in the tyrant's gaze. There was a warmth where there was usually a coldness. 

“I'll be gone for the next two weeks on a campaign.” Malakai told Eli. “I'll have more books delivered to you.” He reassured the kid. Then, the tyrant raised his fist and smashed it against the hook holding the shackle chained to the boy's left hand, completely shattering it and freeing his limb. “Be good and you'll be free.” Malakai told the blonde. It seemed like the tyrant had followed through with his parting words, partially freeing the boy for his good behaviour over the month. 

Without another word said, the blue-haired giant left the cell. Eli could already feel himself missing the tyrant. His breakfasts with him had become his highlights and he enjoyed the conversations they had. He stretched out against the floor and went back to sleep, and for the first time, he dreamt of Malakai.


End file.
